Puducherry Labour Department issues circular in furtherance to the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme

Puducherry Labour Department issues circular in furtherance to the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (“Ministry”) had launched the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (“Scheme”) under the Apprentices Act, 1961 (“Act”) on 19th August, 2016 in order to promote apprenticeship.

In order to promote apprenticeship training, incentivize employers who wish to engage apprentices and increase the engagements of apprentices from present 2.3 lakh to 50 lakh cumulatively by 2020, the Scheme was introduced.

For implementation of the Scheme, following is required to implement it:

a. Regional Directorates of Apprenticeship Training (RDATs) are the implementing agencies for Central Public Sector Undertakings and those private establishments operating in 4 or more States.
b. State Apprenticeship Advisers are the implementing agencies for State Public Sector Undertakings and Private Sectors establishments in their respective States.

Further, the Scheme has following two components:

a. Reimbursement of 25% of prescribed stipend subject to a maximum of Rs. 1500/- per month per apprentice by the Government of India to all employers who engage apprentices.

b. Reimbursement of cost of basic training (up to a limit of Rs. 7500/- for a maximum of 500 hours/3 months) by the Government of India to Basic Training Providers (BTPs) in respect of apprentices who come directly for apprenticeship training without any formal training.

Recent circular issued on 25th January, 2017:

Pursuant to the Scheme, the Labour Department has stated that benefits of re-imbursement of stipend will be extended to 25% or Rs. 1,500 per month, whichever is lower payable to every apprentice, by an employer.

It has been further informed that the platform for registration under the Scheme, allied functions and benefits can be availed by accessing the following web-portal:

The Labour Department has also mandated that the following activities are to be executed, via the Web Portal, by an establishment for effective adoption of the scheme:

• Direct selection of apprentices without any domicile restrictions by an establishment through web portal.
• Offering of apprenticeship training to the registered candidate.
• Auto Generation of contract of apprenticeship
• Apply for re-imbursement of stipend through the web portal.
• Creation of All India Trade Test (AITT) application for new and failed candidates.
• Printing of hall ticket, mark sheet and National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC).